Icespire - META CHAT (out of character)

[polkakitty]

I was wondering what would be the mechanics of fighting the beast just as it squeezes through the door?

It turns out there is actually a specific rule for that.

Squeezing into a Smaller Space: A creature can squeeze through a space that is large enough for a creature one size smaller than it. Thus, a Large creature can squeeze through a passage that's only 5 feet wide. While squeezing through a space, a creature must spend 1 extra foot for every foot it moves there, and it has disadvantage on attack rolls and Dexterity saving throws. Attack rolls against the creature have advantage while it’s in the smaller space.

I didn't notice this before, but the most important parts of that, the manticore getting disadvantage on attack rolls and us getting advantage on attack rolls against it, are actually the same as the effects of the "Blinded" condition. In any case, though, as long as Mug, Jenny, and Fifi position themselves so the manticore can't get all the way into the windmill, its chance to hit us will always be reduced by about 40%, and our chance to hit it will be increased by about 40%, which gives us the advantage by a huge margin.

And while RAW doesn't say anything about the manticore not being able to use its tail spike attack when squeezing through the door, I assume it wouldn't do that simply because it wouldn't make sense.

[Spoonweaver]

{{1d4 to hit}}

[Judge Slimehold]

<p><b>Spoonweaver</b> rolls...</p><ul><li><b>1d4 to hit:</b> 4</li></ul>

[Spoonweaver]

maybe it was too long or maybe it was the comma?

{{1d20+5 short sword first to-hit roll}}

{{1d20+5 short sword second tohit roll}}

{{1d6+3 short sword damage }}

you also can't edit them in, if you were trying that

[Spoonweaver]

{{1d20+5 short sword first tohit roll}}

[Judge Slimehold]

<p><b>Spoonweaver</b> rolls...</p><ul><li><b>1d20+5 short sword first tohit roll:</b> 6 + 5 &rArr; 11</li></ul>

[Spoonweaver]

{{1d20+5 short sword, first to hit roll}}

[Spoonweaver]

yea, it doesn't seem you can include any commas or dashes in the roll

[polkakitty]

Okay, well, thank you for clarifying that for me.

If you know who implemented the in-forum dice feature, I think it would be helpful if, when someone uses the double '{' and '}' characters but what's between them can't be parsed, Judge Slimehold would reply and say "invalid dice roll format" or something like that, to make it clearer what the problem is.  (Or they could say "order in the court!", just to be thematic.)

[Mogri]

If you know who implemented the in-forum dice feature,

It was me, and it's just a regex. I could add in commas, but dashes (and numbers, which I assume are also not allowed) have mathematical significance.

[Spoonweaver]

No huge rush or anything.
Currently, I'm waiting on all 4 players to take their turns in combat.

[polkakitty]

It was me, and it's just a regex. I could add in commas, but dashes (and numbers, which I assume are also not allowed) have mathematical significance.

That's great! It's always cool to see people adding on custom features to forum interfaces.

Maybe, in addition to the regex it's already running, you could have it run another regex that only looks for sets of double curly braces. Then you could have it count the number of matches for both regexes, and if the second one gets more matches than the first one, the post must have at least one set of double curly braces that doesn't have a valid "XdY+Z" pattern inside it, so it must not be using the right format. Of course, I don't know what the code looks like internally, so there might be some reason checking the validity of dice rolls couldn't just be done that easily.

Currently, I'm waiting on all 4 players to take their turns in combat.

I've taken my turn; I drew a dagger (reflavored as a throwing knife) and made a two-weapon attack with that and the short sword I drew on the pre-battle turn. (Then I was a doofus and thought I'd gotten a critical hit because the sum of my roll and my bonus on one of my to-hit rolls was 20, but I didn't roll a 20 on the d20 by itself, so it wasn't a critical hit.)

But I think James is waiting for you to clarify whether him throwing the sack of flour at the manticore counts as his main action for this turn, because if it doesn't, he wants to make an attack.

[Spoonweaver]

everything that took place before I said, we are now in turn based combat, was not yet your turn. You all have a full round turn before the manticore goes, it rolled badly on it's initiative. I rolled for you all to save time and you all beat it.

[polkakitty]

So I guess that means Mug throwing the sack of flour was something that happened before turn-based combat officially started, and James can take a whole turn now. Thanks for clarifying that.

What I mean about having taken my turn is that this post, which I made after the post where you said we are now in turn-based combat, was my turn:

"If you've any offensive magic, now's the time to use it, friend!", Bometrus calls back to Fifi. Drawing one of his throwing knives with his left hand, he watches for an opening as the manticore blindly lashes out, then he rushes forward and slashes at the monster's chest.

(then a bunch of to-hit and damage rolls.)

[Spoonweaver]

yes polkakitty, I see your turn, I'm waiting for everyone else to go as well before posting the masticore's turn and damage results.